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That 10 points to being a paladin is a bit long. Here, I keep this image because I keep having to post it since 2006 when Sundren started:
Now, I will state this for people to understand. Paladins of Tyr are pretty much the PHB paladin. However, the other gods tend to deviate heavily from the PHB to be more Forgotten Realms.
Here is an EASY to follow way to see if you are going to fall as a paladin in priority order.
DO NOT DO AN EVIL ACT! - SUPER IMPORTANT
This is THE MOST important rule for a paladin. If you have to pick one, that is the one! Evil acts are not as gray as our real world view of evil, it's very rigid and black & white what an evil act is in D&D. I'm not going to list them, but you can find it easy enough. You are a bastian of good! DO GOOD!
DO NOT PISS OFF YOUR GOD! - SUPER IMPORTANT
Your god expects you to do shit and he made you a paladin because he thinks you can do it. If Kelemvor wants you to kill undead, and encourage good aligned dead to finish their business and cross over, then you bloody better do that! If ilmater expects you to tend to the weak, you better do that! If Helm expects you to do your fuggin duty and cut evil down where it stands without a second thought, draw your sword!
That is the second most important part of being a paladin. Because if you aren't doing what your god wants, who do you think is going to take your paladinhood away?
HAVE SOME DAMN HONOR! - IMPORTANT
Paladins are based off the ideas of chivalry and honor that came from templars and knights in earlier ages of history. These are foreign ideas to the modern person but it's what permeates in the paladin for RP. I can sit here an list a crap ton of rules, but it's not about the rules, but the idea that you REPRESENT honor and thinking of it this way you can easily see why paladins can't do certain things. Instead of a list, here are questions.
Is stealing from someone Honorable?
Is lying to someone or decieving them Honorable?
Is ganging up on someone in an unfair fight Honorable?
Is poisoning your weapon Honorable?
Is sneak attacking and sucker punching someone Honorable?
Is ignoring King and Country Honorable?
Is kicking someone while they're down Honorable?
Just ask yourself before you do something "IS XYZ HONORABLE?" And you'll be a good paladin! Think of chivalry when you think of paladins.
Paladins do not fall for punching people in the face when they're in the way of doing good:
Paladin: Where are the hostages?
Man: I can't tell you!
Paladin punches him in the face.
Man: SHIT! Okay I'll talk!
That's a literal example from an FR source book of things paladins can do. A sunite paladin might do this instead:
Paladin kicks him in the nuts, because his face is too pretty to scar.
Helmite paladin might do this:
Paladin cuts him down and then turns to another paladin, "We don't negotiate with terrorists. Let's find someone who WILL talk."
Jergal paladin might do this:
"Jergal says it's their time to die, so why are we questioning this guy?"
DON'T DEAL WITH EVIL - IMPORTANT
Paladins don't travel with evil, don't deal with evil, and don't let evil do their thing.
I'm not all that religious, but here are some popular quotes (Some from the bible) that come to mind and help illustrate why this is important to a Paladin.
"Birds of a feather flock together."
-16th Century Book
"Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”"
- 1 Cor 15:33
"He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly."
- Proverbs
"You Become Who You Hang Out With"
- Modern Psychology
So, the idea is walking around with evil, you are likely to enable evil while you're doing it, or you are going to end up becoming like that evil in the first place. Since not doing an evil act is super important, why would you kick it with people who are likely to do them or corrupt you and your friends into doing them? It's a no brainer!
Now, if some evil guy is your only link to doing good, "Paladin, I'm sorry, let me help! I know where they are!" "My zone of truth says he's telling the truth..." then you might follow that guy to do what's right. Then again, you might be a helmite and say "Fuck you, I suffer not the witch to live!" and cut him down too. Hence why this is lower in priority!
You might even talk with evil to help them redeem themselves! That isn't the same as kicking it with them. I talk to customers on the phone at work, they ain't people I kick it with!
DON'T BREAK THE LAW - LEAST IMPORTANT
It's in the list because it's disrespectful to break the law. Remember, you Honor your King and Country, but if the law gets in the way of doing Good or doing your gods Duty, you will piss on that law as a paladin. That's right.
There is example of Tyr worshippers, for example, who will kill someone they think doesn't rule Justly and then work to get someone in charge who does. I'm sure there's a law that says "DON'T KILL OUR KING" but those guys ignored it to see their God's will done and see Good prevail.
So, while every point there is important, they are prioritized by their importance instead of a rigid list of ideals that you have to follow.
To recap, here's your five paladin rules
1. Don't be evil and promote good!
2. What my god says, goes!
3. I'm honorable in all that I do!
4. I don't fuck with evil
5. I obey the law
That's it.
Now, I will state this for people to understand. Paladins of Tyr are pretty much the PHB paladin. However, the other gods tend to deviate heavily from the PHB to be more Forgotten Realms.
Here is an EASY to follow way to see if you are going to fall as a paladin in priority order.
DO NOT DO AN EVIL ACT! - SUPER IMPORTANT
This is THE MOST important rule for a paladin. If you have to pick one, that is the one! Evil acts are not as gray as our real world view of evil, it's very rigid and black & white what an evil act is in D&D. I'm not going to list them, but you can find it easy enough. You are a bastian of good! DO GOOD!
DO NOT PISS OFF YOUR GOD! - SUPER IMPORTANT
Your god expects you to do shit and he made you a paladin because he thinks you can do it. If Kelemvor wants you to kill undead, and encourage good aligned dead to finish their business and cross over, then you bloody better do that! If ilmater expects you to tend to the weak, you better do that! If Helm expects you to do your fuggin duty and cut evil down where it stands without a second thought, draw your sword!
That is the second most important part of being a paladin. Because if you aren't doing what your god wants, who do you think is going to take your paladinhood away?
HAVE SOME DAMN HONOR! - IMPORTANT
Paladins are based off the ideas of chivalry and honor that came from templars and knights in earlier ages of history. These are foreign ideas to the modern person but it's what permeates in the paladin for RP. I can sit here an list a crap ton of rules, but it's not about the rules, but the idea that you REPRESENT honor and thinking of it this way you can easily see why paladins can't do certain things. Instead of a list, here are questions.
Is stealing from someone Honorable?
Is lying to someone or decieving them Honorable?
Is ganging up on someone in an unfair fight Honorable?
Is poisoning your weapon Honorable?
Is sneak attacking and sucker punching someone Honorable?
Is ignoring King and Country Honorable?
Is kicking someone while they're down Honorable?
Just ask yourself before you do something "IS XYZ HONORABLE?" And you'll be a good paladin! Think of chivalry when you think of paladins.
Paladins do not fall for punching people in the face when they're in the way of doing good:
Paladin: Where are the hostages?
Man: I can't tell you!
Paladin punches him in the face.
Man: SHIT! Okay I'll talk!
That's a literal example from an FR source book of things paladins can do. A sunite paladin might do this instead:
Paladin kicks him in the nuts, because his face is too pretty to scar.
Helmite paladin might do this:
Paladin cuts him down and then turns to another paladin, "We don't negotiate with terrorists. Let's find someone who WILL talk."
Jergal paladin might do this:
"Jergal says it's their time to die, so why are we questioning this guy?"
DON'T DEAL WITH EVIL - IMPORTANT
Paladins don't travel with evil, don't deal with evil, and don't let evil do their thing.
I'm not all that religious, but here are some popular quotes (Some from the bible) that come to mind and help illustrate why this is important to a Paladin.
"Birds of a feather flock together."
-16th Century Book
"Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”"
- 1 Cor 15:33
"He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly."
- Proverbs
"You Become Who You Hang Out With"
- Modern Psychology
So, the idea is walking around with evil, you are likely to enable evil while you're doing it, or you are going to end up becoming like that evil in the first place. Since not doing an evil act is super important, why would you kick it with people who are likely to do them or corrupt you and your friends into doing them? It's a no brainer!
Now, if some evil guy is your only link to doing good, "Paladin, I'm sorry, let me help! I know where they are!" "My zone of truth says he's telling the truth..." then you might follow that guy to do what's right. Then again, you might be a helmite and say "Fuck you, I suffer not the witch to live!" and cut him down too. Hence why this is lower in priority!
You might even talk with evil to help them redeem themselves! That isn't the same as kicking it with them. I talk to customers on the phone at work, they ain't people I kick it with!
DON'T BREAK THE LAW - LEAST IMPORTANT
It's in the list because it's disrespectful to break the law. Remember, you Honor your King and Country, but if the law gets in the way of doing Good or doing your gods Duty, you will piss on that law as a paladin. That's right.
There is example of Tyr worshippers, for example, who will kill someone they think doesn't rule Justly and then work to get someone in charge who does. I'm sure there's a law that says "DON'T KILL OUR KING" but those guys ignored it to see their God's will done and see Good prevail.
So, while every point there is important, they are prioritized by their importance instead of a rigid list of ideals that you have to follow.
To recap, here's your five paladin rules
1. Don't be evil and promote good!
2. What my god says, goes!
3. I'm honorable in all that I do!
4. I don't fuck with evil
5. I obey the law
That's it.
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